Police nab fake soldier, 17 others over criminal activities in Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested 18 suspects, including a fake soldier, in connection with various criminal activities over the past two months. Among the arrested individuals was a 49-year-old man, Andrew Atausi, who was dressed in military uniform and driving an Army-colored Toyota Hilux. Atausi confessed to being a serial car snatcher and three stolen vehicles, along with an axe and military accessories, were recovered from him.

The command also recovered 47 firearms, 12 stolen cars, 102 rounds of live ammunition, five live cartridges, and 11 cutlasses. Police Commissioner Olugbenga Adepoju disclosed this during a press conference at the command's headquarters in Port Harcourt, where he paraded some of the arrested suspects and displayed the recovered exhibits.

The arrest followed a series of successful operations, including the capture of three members of a kidnapping syndicate in Oyigbo Local Government Area and two members of a one-chance syndicate. Adepoju emphasized the police's commitment to combating crime through intelligence-led, proactive, and community-oriented policing, urging residents to monitor their children and warn them against various criminal activities.